Phlox plant named ‘Dophlowopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Dophlowopi’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large deep purplish pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox x procumbens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLOWOPI’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Aug. 12, 2020, application number 2020/1901. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox x procumbens and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dophlowopi’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Phlox plants with large attractive flowers.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2013 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Phlox x procumbens identified as code number SB10-000009-007, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox x procumbens identified as code number SB-0067, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in April, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since June, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dophlowopi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dophlowopi’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large deep purplish pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have deep purplish pink-colored flowers whereas plants of the female parent selection have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Phlox are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox x procumbens ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more upright than and not as         creeping as plants of ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ differ in         flower color as plants of the new Phlox have deep purplish         pink-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Emerald Cushion Blue’         have light blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Dophlowopi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the end of winter and early spring in 17-cm containers initially in a glass-covered greenhouse and finished in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after planting rooted young plants and plants were 37 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Second Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox x procumbens ‘Dophlowopi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox x             procumbens identified as code number SB10-000009-007, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox x             procumbens identified as code number SB-0067, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; upright to outwardly             spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit             and relatively slow growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 26 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit             with numerous primary and secondary lateral branches             developing per plant. Length: About 9 cm. Internode length:             About 1.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 10° from             vertical to horizontal. Texture and luster: Pubescent;             glossy. Color: Close to 145A; under low temperatures             conditions, color becoming closer to 71A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire, slightly ciliate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; semi-glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Hyphodromous.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146C; venation, close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and             salverform flowers arranged in terminal and lateral             panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending             on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with             about four open flowers per inflorescence and about 390             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 35             weeks after planting; plants flower in April and May in the             garden in The Netherlands; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Elliptical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to 70B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3 mm.         -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1 cm. Lobe width: About 6 mm. Lobe shape:             Obovate. Lobe apex: Obtuse. Lobe margin: Entire; not             undulate. Lobe texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster: Pubescent; matte.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 68A; venation, close to 68A; color becoming closer to 69B             with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 68B; venation, close to 68B; color does             not change with development. Throat: Close to 83A; venation,             close to 83A. Tube: Close to 83A; venation, close to 83A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, tubular in shape.             Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly             deltoid, subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;             semi-glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 143B. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 20° from lateral branch             axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to             145A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 5° to 20° from             peduncle axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color:             Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to             145A. Anther size: About 0.5 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther shape:             Elliptical. Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 2D and 17A. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma             diameter: About 0.5 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted.             Stigma color: Close to 145A. Style length: About 7 mm. Style             color: Close to 142D. Ovary color: Close to 143A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,     temperatures ranging from −35° C. to 35° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zone 3. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Phlox plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophlowopi’ as illustrated and described. 